Door latch



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ATTORNEY W. KNIGHT Phb,13,1923.

'f iiginir'an starrte To all whom i5-may concern.'

Be it kno-wn that I, WILLIAM KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at .Ri-o Vista, county ot Solano, State ot California, haveinvented certain new and fuse-ful improvements in Door Latches; and dodeclare the following to be a full, cleat', and exact description of thesame, reiterencebeing had tothe accompanying '-lrawings, and to thecharacters of reference lmarked thereon, whichr form a part otthisapplication. 1 Y

This invention relates to. improvements in door latches., and isparticularly intended as an improvement over that Jform Aof latch shownin my Patent No. 1,407,758, dated February 28, 1922, the present deviceoperating on the same principle as the other.

The principal object 'of `the present invention is to provide aflatchvdevice more particularly adapted for house doors rather .than automobiledoors, as was the former (though it may be usedY for this and otherpurposes as well), in which the construc-` ltion is simplified over theformer type, and which is provided with handle release- 'ineans for thelatch which may be operated by a turning movement eithertothe right orto the left.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple lock member tohold the latchloar against. movement either when it in fa neutral or"retracted position, or when it is extended, this lock member beingcapable of being actuated by means ot an ordinary -key either byitseltor used in connection with whatever standard cylinder or pin loclimechanism which it may be desired to` install.

A further object is to provide a latch and locking means therefor inwhose construction the use of springsa with their tendency to break orweaken9 is eliminated,

' A further object of the invention is to produce a simple andinexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effectiveor thepurposes for which it is designed. i

These objects l accomplish by means oil such structure and relativearrangement et rerun-r `artifice.N

WILLIAII KNGHT, OF RIO `VISTA, CALIFORNIA.

DOOR LATCH.

Application filed November 23, 1921. Serial No'. 517,179.

parts as will fully appear by a perusal ot the following specificationand claims.

In the drawings similar lcharacters ot' reference indicatecorrespondingparts in the several views. i

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective elevation of a door adjacent theside edge, showing my improved latch installed therein.

Figf2is aside elevation of the'latch box with va side cover plateremoved, showing the` latch-bar as normally held in neutral position,when the door is open.'v

Fig. 3 is a similar yiew, showing the position assumed by the latch barwhenthe door is closed, and with the latch-lockvalso engaged therewith.i 1

yFig. 4 is a similar View, showing the latch bar as being partiallyretracted or moving .to a-neutral position. y

Referring now morel particularly `tothe characters of reference'on 'thedranvings,v

the numeral l 4denotes a suitable casing or box adapted as usual-to beset in a door 2` and provided .with an edge plate 3 positioned flushwith theA 1reej side-edge of the door.`

Pivotally mounted inthe casing is a latch bar 1l, so proportioned thatol its ownweight it will7 1t allowed'to do so7 project'through a slot 5in the plate '3 and vseat in asimilar kslot G in the usualoo-oyjierating jamli-plate 'secured in the door casing. This bai-howeveris normally. held flush with the plate .5i by means of a ball 8thereaboveyl, .sli'dably mounted on an upwardly sloping track in thecasing, and adapted to incitant partially through an voriiice. 'lO-inthe plate Il above the .sl-et. the ball, by reason of the torce oitgravity, normally seating thusv in the oriicelan d se projecting beyondthe plate 3, the ball in that position being in front of the upper endot thelatch 'l, and thus preventing the latter from dropping out of itsslot. ln operation then. with the parte in the last named position. assoon'fas the door is moved adjacent its casing, the pro- `ieotin'surface ot the ball strikes the casing and the ball is moved upward'onits track, freeing the latch 4. and allowing it todiop through the slot5 into the slot 6. l

To retract or release the latch, l provide vided in the adjacent edge ofthe bar, a Will be raised to seat the lug thereon inone plate slidablymounted under the arm, a lug of said notches, a cross arm projectingfrom n on the plate adapted to bear against and the plate, and aturnable arm positioned to 10 raise the arm when the plate is movedv inbear against the cross bar,' said arm being one direction, and keyactuated means Jfor adapted to be turned by a key. i

so moving the plate, means whereby when In testimony whereof I aiiX mysignature. said plate is moved in one direction, the varm WILLIAMKNII-II.

